Falling into darkness
by sabah26
Summary: San/san rated mature for later chapters. Trigger warnings for lots of stuff..it's GOT it's gonna be bloody :-) I don't own any copyrights and all that jazz.


She was alive. She had not thought to survive the leap from the walls of Winterfell, but the snow must have cushioned the fall. She remembered the feeling of falling. Strangly she had no fear, it had made her feel truly free. Next to her she heard Theon stir. "Sansa? We have to run." he pled as he pulled at her arm. Wincing in pain from all the injuries she had suffered at her "beloved " husband's hands she struggled to her feet clutching Theon's hand as he lead her away from the walls of her childhood home. A home that was now tainted by memories of pain. Several times she fell tripping over unseen obstacles and numb from the bitter cold. She heard the rush of water and shivered knowing Theon would mean to cross it. Just as she suspected his voice broke the silence. "We have to cross Sansa. Maybe it will confuse the dogs." She could not hear them howling yet, but she knew _he_ would send them out after his escaped prizes. Like a ghost she heard the voice in her head that had kept her sane reminding her "A hound will kill for you, but never lie to you" and tears fell from her eyes to freeze on her face.

After crossing the river she felt the cold creeping up her legs. The wet clothing felt like it was armor dragging her down. Finally she could no longer run. Theon collapsed beside her and she faintly felt him pull her into a tight hug rubbing her arms to warm her, but it was no use. The cold had finally seeped fully in and she wondered at how warm she now felt. From far away she could hear the barking of the hounds and knew they had been found. She felt no terror as she slipped into darkness. Just relief at the thought that the stranger had finally come. She hoped he would have Sandor's voice.-

Theon stepped out from around the downed tree and faced the soldiers trembling. He had to be strong. He had to at least try to keep her safe. If he died protecting her perhaps the gods would show him mercy. He told the men Sansa had broken her leg in the fall and he had left her there to die. It was something a coward like he would do. He steeled himself for their blows when the dog handler cried out "here she is!", but before he could react 3 mounted men rode out of the woods. " What do we have here?" The first man said Theon glanced at him and saw he wore an eye patch and battered armor. For once Theon spoke quickly "my sister and I escaped from torture these men mean to take us back" the nearest soldier reached for his sword and swung as Theon fell to his knees waiting for the killing blow, but instead he saw the 3 men fighting as the hounds scattered into the woods away from the noise. Quickly he picked up a sword that had fallen from the lifeless hands of a dead Bolton bannerman and limped to Sansa lying motionless behind a tree. Cutting easily through the Bolton soldiers the 3 strangers then surrounded Theon. "Why were they torturing you? These were Bolton men weren't they?" Theon did not reply instead trying to hold the sword in his weak grip and block the men from Sansa, but while watching two the third, dressed in ragged armor and wearing his hair in a top knot slipped off his horse and knelt beside her. "She's dead. Looks like the cold took her." With a cry Theon dropped the sword and fell to his knees beside her. "No! Sansa wake up! We have to keep going!" He cried in a broken voice. Behind him he heard a deep voice boom "Sansa? Sansa Stark!? Is this Sansa Stark of Winterfell boy?" a large man dressed in patched leathers demanded dismounting quickly and striding to the prone was clutching the girl's limp form to his chest and crying saying her name over and over. The thin man with the top knot stood and walked back to his horse while the hulking figure took his place in the snow beside Sansa. "Let me see her boy." The man gently spoke and Theon looked into the face of the Hound. He complied allowing her body to be taken into the scarred man's arms and watched stunned as the Hound gently moved the hair from Sansa's face then lowered his ear to her chest and after a moment he exclaimed "She lives still. He heart beats" Again the man looked into her face and after a moment's pause he placed his mouth over hers and blew deeply into her lungs. After forcing air into her lungs twice more she drew in a shuttering ragged breath and let out a weak cough. The Hound passed her still limp body to Theon and took off his cloak. "Get that wet cloak off her now boy. She needs to be warmed or she will die." the Hounds voice was soft and sounded regretful. Theon pulled the wet cloak off and passed her back to the Hound The large man pulled her to his chest and wrapped her in his own cloak. Standing he handed her to the smaller man with the topknot and mounted his black charger. Once seated on the horse he reached down and her body was passed up to the large man with unerring gentleness. "Get on one of those horses boy" one of the men said to Theon as he strode to the bodies checking for coins and ensuring none of the men lying on the forest floor were left to suffer or talk by slipping a dagger between their ribs into the heart. Theon mounted quickly and followed the men as if in a dream. He spurred the mount to a gallop and tried to quell the panic threatening to overtake him. He remembered the Hound coming to Winterfell so long ago. The man was large and threatening, but he looked at Sansa with gentle regret and Theon knew he could not protect her as weak as he was so he prayed the gods or the Hound would keep her safe. When the men came to a crossroads and slowed Theon approached the Hound. "Where are you taking her?" he asked his voice shaking. "Depends. Who did this to her? Bolton?" indicating with his chin the bruising and cuts on Sansa's face the Hound asked in a sharp voice. "Yes" Theon whispered. "Jon Snow is Lord Commander of the night watch. We will go there." Theon sagged in relief. "I'll leave you here then. I can't help her any longer. I'm too weak and if I go Jon will kill me for what I've done. What I let him do to her.I deserve it. Please tell her I'm sorry, tell her I will do everything I can to prove it, but I need to go home. My sister needs me." The Hounds dark eyes glared at the ragged shivering man "I thought you said your her brother. I thought you were Rickon. What is your name boy!" he demanded. The boy said his name quietly "Theon Greyjoy" before turning the horse and urging it into a gallop heading south.

Sansa woke feeling the movement of the horse. She weakly struggled but a voice soothed her. A voice from a dream. "Hush now little bird. It's all right. I'll keep you safe." She smiled as she slipped into darkness. The Stranger has Sandor's voice she thought relaxing. Sansa had no idea how much time had passed when she woke again. She felt herself being lowered down from the horse and stiffened. "Are you awake my lady?" a unknown voice asked and she trembled. Quietly she replied "Yes ser" and felt her feet placed on solid ground. The arms withdrew and Sansa was left standing on her own. Weak and still trembling, but standing. After a few moments she heard the voice she hoped was not a dream call "What are you standing there for girl? Come sit. The horses need to eat and so do we." Sansa turned to the voice and with her hands in front of her she tried to walk towards it. Her steps were faltering and slow as she was afraid to fall, but she tried to comply with Sandor's instruction. She did not want to anger him. She had learned what men's anger could do. She heard the sounds of someone walking to her and stilled with her hands still reaching out. She felt a large hand grasp hers and Sandor's deep voice saying "look at me". She turned her eyes to the sound of his voice and heard a sharp intake of breath. "What happened little bird?" She reached her hand up tentatively to touch the face of the man she had prayed to save her. As she cupped her hand to his chin she was stunned to feel wetness. Was he crying? For her?


End file.
